Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-29
THE TRUNK MYSTERY.
TIRE HrApLEss MAN KNOWN, AND
CAPTAIN EpwABD uEGER Ar.
RESTED.
The hatchery Done at No, % Ridge Street,
New York, Where, unger Lived.

=
Additional particulars are given by the
Now York Nm rs follows:
A @u@ge- peddler, known as Captain
Edward Unger, who lives on the top
floor Of the tenement at - Ridge street,
was arrested there late yesterday after
noon by Central Office Detectives Won
Gcrichten, Mclaughlin, and Titus for
the murder Of the man whose hcadless
body WAS shipped from this city to
Baltimore in a trunk last Satur-
day. The numbered man was Au-
gust Poltz, who was Ungcr's partner
in the sausage selling enterprise Boltz
was Young man, but his exact age Is
not known. Abundant proof that he
was murdered in Ungcr's room was
found by the detectives yesterday.
Blood was spattered over the walls and
ceiling. An effort had been made by
somebody 10 eiiace the stains, but 1t
wasn't successful. The floor showed
blood stains that a washing had failed
to wipe out. Then there were butch
er's saw, knife, a Jig heavy slung-
shot, all covered with blood-marks,
blood-soaked cot, and other indications
that crime had been committed.
Captain Unger was taken to police
Headquarters, where Inspector Byrnes
asked him If he had any explanation to
make.
Nothing, he promptly replied.
Then. after thinking for moment,
he said
III I've done anything they've got
to prove it.
Roltz docs not appear TO hive been
well known in this city. Bntcher Henry
Siegcl, of 205 Throop avenue, Brook
lyn, whose card was found in the trunk
chat held the body, says that he knew
him in a business wQy. lie tod tins
story to Inspector Byrnes:
when 1 lived at 3l5 Riy!ngton
street Captain UnScr kept saloon at
$40, same street. 1t was bad neigh
borhood, and the roughs used to visit
che place. lie was an old sea captain.
he went from there to Eldridge street.
and then took charge of n billiard and
pool-roOm at 20 Bowcry. At that time
I moved over here to WiIliamsburgh.
Shortly after locating here the Captain,
accompanied by tail, raw-boned man
of red complexion. came TO my store.
The Captain introduced him as August
BOhle. Young man from England,
who was selling sausage castings. He
had, he said. lot on hand which were
little too narrow. and found some diff
fculty in selling them. He gave me TO
understand that Bohle had considerable
money. Bohle and the Captain asked
me to let them place lot of the castings
in my store to sell. | did So They
told me they would advertise the sale,
and they did so in the papers.
"1he next | beard of the Captain
was last Thursday, January 2Oth. He
came to my store while | was out and
said to my wife: | come to make col
lections for the skins She asked him
where Bohle was. and he said, He has
gone to Chicago.
Are Won living at 90 Ridge street,
my wife asked, and he said, Yes. You
know. he and Bohle took rooms there
when ! first saw him with Bohle. Twice
this week he called at my store. The
last time was yesterday, Just before Mr.
Won Geritchen, the detective, came
over for me. / said to him: Have
You seen the story about man in a
trunk i'll BALTIMORE and he sand:
Yes; what do you think of it? and |
replied: 1t looks queer; may be You
may be wanted. well, if that is SO ]
will go over home, so they can find me
if am suspected, he said"
II II, l.. L. Ill L.,
was tag marked Chicago and Book
Island railroad, Dearborn station" 4
label pasted ON the trunk read: New
York Transfer Company, Dodd's FIX
press, December 9Th, - Ridge street"
The label was the clue that resulted in
Unger's arrest. All the clues that the
Baltimore police had were telegraphod
TO Inspector Byrnes on Wednesday af-
ternoOn, and detectives were at once
sent out to solve the mystery. They
learned at the main office of the Adams
Express Company, at 50 Broadway,
that the trunk had been shipped from
there to Baltimore ut o'clock on
Saturday afternoon. MIR. John Hoey
told them that the trunk was received
at the office from the Westcott Express
Company's Williamsburgh wagon. 1t
was heavy, but excited no suspicion,
and was shipped according to directions
on the outside TO "John 4. Wilson,
Baltimore, Md"
The trunk, the detectives learned,
was received at the Office of the West
colt Company in this city, at Park
place, at about 2 o'clock on Saturday af
ternoon from the Williamsburgh
branch office. Driver Seitz took it i'm
mediately to 80 Broadway. Seitz was
not suspicious, but he noticed that the
trunk was badly packed, that it seemed
top heavy, and that its contents shifted
as the trunk position was changed.
George 4. Switzerland, who is in
charge Of Wcstcott's Williamsburgh
office, 1913 Bedford avenue, said that at
10 o'clock ON Saturday morning man
whose face he could not recall handed
him an order written on q card to call
for trunk at 395 Kent avenue. Kent
avenue is only four blocks away from
Bedford avenue, and 39j is q saloon
kept by Henry Bensc. Driver Frank
Nontena called for the trunk and
brought it TO the Office. 1t was moi
taken inside, but was at once trans
ferred to another wagon and brought
TO this city. After the trunk had gone
Mr.. Switzerland noticed that the card
containing the address bore the i'm
print of bloody fingers. He saved the
card and gave ito the detectives yester-
day.
Saloon-keeper Bense told the detec-
tives that about Q o'clock on Saturday
morning, while the door of bis place
was open, a man appeared aud lifted
in trunk. He thought he saw out
side the door the hand of another man,
who was assisting with the trunk, but
only one man came inside. This man
Bense identified at the Central of
fee yesterday afternoon As Unger. He
paid no especial attention to Unger on
Saturday. The latter rolled the trunk
ON end into q corner. After he had
placed it there he stepped up
to the bar and asked for drink.
inquiring of Bense if business was good.
He told Bense that he wished to leave
the trunk there until il could be called
for by an expressman. Bense often ac-
commodated people in this way, and he
did not consider Ungcrs reanest unu-